Yes, it is winter season and many of us can’t ride our Harley, Indian or Victory motorcycle until the weather improves. But that doesn’t mean we can’t spend some time with our motorcycles to make them better for now and for those spring rides.

Here are 5 simple things from the team at American Iron Magazine you can do today to your Harley, Indian or Victory motorcycle to make it better.

CLEAN MACHINE Take an hour or two to carefully wash and wax your bike top to bottom and front to back. This includes all painted, plated and chrome surfaces. Besides making the bike look better, you are removing baked on dirt and crud that holds moisture that could lead to rust.

SAFETY CHECK Now that your motorcycle is clean, give it a safety check. Look for worn or loose items like tires, wiring and connections, suspension, final belt drive (or chain) and hardware. Now is a good time to fix or replace what is needed for a safe, dependable and fun ride.

ERGONOMICS Put your bike on a stand or lift and sit on it as you would when riding. How are the ergonomics and feel of the bike when stationary? Do you like where your handlebars are or would you be more comfortable sliding them forward or backward a few inches? How about the clutch and brake levers – would they feel better up or down a little? How about your shifter – up or down for a better feel. Most of these adjustments are simple and can be done in a few minutes. Just be sure everything is tight and proper when finished.

LEVELS Check your tire pressure and oil levels. If they are low now is a good time to top them off to factory spec. Sounds simple enough, and it is.

BATTERY Maintain and charge your battery. If you have not ridden your motorcycle in a while, it’s a good idea to check it out. Check the acid level of the cells and top off with fresh distilled water if needed (Not necessary with a newer sealed battery) check and clean the terminals. Then hook up a smart battery charger to top off the charge. You’ll be glad you did in the spring.

This free advice is brought to you by American Iron Magazine, the world’s best selling American V-twin magazine.

Published 13 times a year (a new issue every 4 weeks), you can subscribe to American Iron Magazine in PRINT or in DIGITAL by clicking on the links.